Begonia plant named ‘BKPBECDR’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘BKPBECDR’, characterized by its broadly upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; moderately freely basal branching habit; medium-size leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; double flowers that are light red in color on both the upper and lower surfaces.

Botanical designation: Begonia hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPBECDR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia hiemalis, commercially referred to as a Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKPBECDR’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and freely flowering Begonia plants with attractive foliage and flower colors.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Begonia hiemalis identified as code number 06-278-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia hiemalis identified as code number 6500604, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands in October, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands since February, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKPBECDR’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKPBECDR’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Moderately freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Medium-size leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Double flowers that are light red in color on both the upper         and lower surfaces.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the female parent selection are more compact than and not as upright as plants of the new Begonia. In addition, leaves of plants of the new Begonia are glabrous whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection are slightly pubescent.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have pale pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia ‘Bonbon’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘Bonbon’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more upright than plants of         ‘Bonbon’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had lighter-colored leaves than         plants of ‘Bonbon’.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Bonbon’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Bonbon’ had dull pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BKPBECDR’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close up view of the upper and lower surfaces of typical flower buds, flowers and leaves of ‘BKPBECDR’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 19° C. and light levels averaged 7,000 lux. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hiemalis ‘BKPBECDR’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             hiemalis identified as code number 06-278-02, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             hiemalis identified as code number 6500604, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures of about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About 35 to 36 days at temperatures of about 21° C.             to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to             form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Broadly upright, somewhat             outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; plant shape             roughly globular; moderately freely basal branching with             about six basal branches per plant; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.8 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25.8 cm.         -   Branch description.—Length: About 7.3 cm. Diameter: About             9 mm. Internode length: About 2.9 cm. Texture: Sparsely             pubescent. Aspect: Upright to about 30° from vertical.             Color, developing and fully developed: Close to 144A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 11.3 cm. Width: About 9.5 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate.             Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Oblique to hastate and imbricate.             Margin: Bi-serrate to bi-crenate. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Venation pattern: Palmate; reticulate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; margins,             close to 175A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             138B; margins, close to 175A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than between 139A and 147A; venation, close             to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A             slightly tinged with close to 176C; venation, close to 144A             to 144B. Petioles: Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely to             moderately pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 144A; distally strongly tinged with close to 182A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Double rotate sterile flowers arranged in             axillary compound cymes; freely flowering habit with about             eleven flowers per cyme and about 200 flowers developing per             plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten             weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             freely and continuously from spring until autumn in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten days on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 13 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Flower height.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter, flattened:             About 1.9 cm. Shape: Orbicular. Color: Close to 51B; towards             the apex, close to 54B; towards the base, close to 50B.         -   Outer tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: Two,             opposite. Length: About 2.9 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape:             Reniform to orbicular. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 55B; towards the margins, close to 55A. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 52C; towards the margins, close to             54A to 54B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 55C;             towards the margins, close to 55A to 55B; color does not             change with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 51C; towards the base, close to 48C; color does not             change with development.         -   Inner tepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement: About 50             in numerous whorls. Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About             2.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 55B to 55C; towards the base, close to 58B. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 55A; towards the base, close to 58C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 55B; towards the             margins, close to 55A; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 55B;             color does not change with development.         -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm.             Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 144B tinged with close to             181A; at the margins, close to 181A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to             7 mm. Angle: About 30° from branch axis. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 152A to 152B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:             About 40° from the peduncle axis. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: Close to 173B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Reproductive organ development has not             been observed on plants of the new Begonia.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development production has             not been observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia has not been observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 14° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘BKPBECDR’ as illustrated and described. 